5 Trends Impacting Construction Software
A project changes heavily throughout all processes, including construction, and construction software improves project efficiency without high, added expenses. Furthermore, digital applications of construction software continue to grow to meet project demands.
Consequently, selecting construction management software can mean the difference between a satisfying or disappointing construction project outcome. Before you decide which type of software to use, you need to know how five specific trends impact construction management software.
1. Construction Software Integration Between Other Project Management Platforms
Traditionally, construction management software functions separate from the software platforms of overall project managers. However, more construction management software will need to be able to communicate with the platforms used by other project managers. This enables greater control of expenses, available resources, and adherence to deadlines throughout a project’s course. Furthermore, this trend will reduce the chances for error in communications between differing aspects of a project.
2. Ability to Predict Project Needs
Perhaps the greatest hindrance of a project lies within the available resources versus the needs of the construction project. For example, plenty of workers may be available, but building supplies are not present. Therefore, the company continues to spend money while awaiting the delivery of materials.
Construction management software must be able to determine when a supply will run out with a projected amount of labor and time. Furthermore, the system needs have the capacity to automatically reorder such materials or hold-off on other orders. The efficiency of a project determines the initial return on investment, which is equal to maintaining proper inventory control.
3. Improved Use of System
Construction management software has traditionally been only accessible to managers or supervisors in the course of a project. However, more intricate, extensive projects demand an increase in accessibility. Construction software needs to allow for all employees or subcontractors to access the system to view updates with respect to deadlines, changes in schedules, or even make requests to supervisors or managers. As more employees are able to use construction managing software, the level of communication between multiple departments working on different tasks will increase. Therefore, the collaboration will bring forth greater adherence to deadlines and completing a given construction project.
4. Mobile Solutions
More construction project managers find themselves looking toward an ever-increasing amount of employees and communications between those working on a project. Many companies have taken steps to allow workers to use personal mobile devices for use throughout the course of a given project, which reduces company cost of providing mobile access, especially for large construction projects, such as skyscraper or infrastructure construction projects.
While companies may pay a small amount to employees for the use of personal devices as a subsidy, this cost is much less than paying for multiple lines of service. Furthermore, increased connectivity encourages workers to produce more accurate results, ask questions as they arise, and stay in contact with management. As this trend increases, construction management software must have the ability to account for costs of employee devices and contain any additional communication systems. For example, the software could be set to send status update requests to all employees using personal devices on specific activities or tasks.
5. Cloud Technology
In close relation to increased mobile web-based solutions to construction management software, construction software must take advantage of cloud storage and security. Internal IT departments may be limited in data resources. Although construction managers would like to believe internal IT departments are capable of handling anything, man-made or natural disasters could occur, which would result in lost time and resources if internal IT departments are incapacitated. Construction management software needs to perform routine uploads of data to cloud storage servers, and the security and constant functionality of cloud technology enables construction workers to continue working when internal IT solutions fail.
As the world evolves and more construction projects begin, companies need innovative construction management software to survive and produce the best work without huge financial expenses. These five trends will continue to impact the development and use of construction management software, and as a result, more construction projects will have a fluid, predictable outcome.